Boehner full of regret over fiscal-cliff moves
“Looking back, what I should have done the day after the election was to make it clear the House has passed a bill to extend all of the current tax rates, the House has passed a bill to replace the sequester with cuts in mandatory spending, and the Senate ought to do its work,” Boehner said. “We’re ready, able and willing to work with the Senate as soon as they produce a bill. It should have been what I said. You know, again, hindsight is 20-20.”…
The House passed legislation earlier in 2012 extending the full slate of George W. Bush-era tax rates and replacing the $109 billion in automatic spending cuts through sequestration. But it was dead on arrival with both the Democratic-led Senate and the newly reelected president, leading Boehner to try to restart talks with Obama on the so-called grand bargain the two had sought in 2011.
Boehner now believes that effort was a mistake, and he has vowed to Republicans in the House that he will not negotiate one-on-one with Obama going forward.
Blowback
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Awww, he cried AND expressed regret. Now we know he’ll do the right thing next time for sure.
sauldalinsky on January 26, 2013 at 3:36 PM
He’s (literally) crying over (figurative) spilled milk.
steebo77 on January 26, 2013 at 3:37 PM
I think before Hillary’s current pronouncement of “What difference does it make?” her last bit of verbal wisdom was “shoulda, woulda, coulda,” I think we can all agree they are as profound as the Speaker.
Cindy Munford on January 26, 2013 at 3:39 PM
Meanwhile, Lucy smirks.
OldEnglish on January 26, 2013 at 3:42 PM
It’s better than defending it to the end but still not reassuring for future tactical decisions.
Drained Brain on January 26, 2013 at 3:43 PM
Too late bub
cmsinaz on January 26, 2013 at 3:43 PM
To make up for it, he’s going to look out for the base and do his best to make sure amnesty passes.
xblade on January 26, 2013 at 3:43 PM
Aww, don’t be too hard on yourself little fella. You will have plenty more opportunities to screw the pooch.
arnold ziffel on January 26, 2013 at 3:44 PM
That might have been a short term tactical mistake but it did have strategic value. The Democrats can’t say now that Boehner didn’t try to negotiate. He did. He exposed the Democrats for what they are. He took one more weapon away from them which they might try to use to hammer the Republican leadership with later this spring.
It was probably necessary that the negotiation was attempted and failed in the long run.
crosspatch on January 26, 2013 at 3:45 PM
You seem to be implying that the facts matter. Until/unless the media/American people hold Dems accountable for the facts….the facts don’t matter.
Hell, Hillary literally asked what difference the facts make in congressional testimony this week…
ChrisL on January 26, 2013 at 3:51 PM
Maybe he finally noticed that everybody on the right hates his guts, but it’s a bit surreal that he would talk that way. He must know that it only makes him look even weaker….?
ElectricPhase on January 26, 2013 at 3:53 PM
In other words, we’ll get ‘em next time, just like always, idiot.
clearbluesky on January 26, 2013 at 3:53 PM
Then resign.
joekenha on January 26, 2013 at 3:56 PM
They can’t? History shows that facts don’t matter to that mob. They can and will say anything they want to advance their bankrupt agenda. They have the press to cover for them…both by what is reported and what is NOT reported.
Fat lot of of good that does. With this press and the willful ignorance of the electorate, this is the equivalent of the tree falling in the woods metaphor.
No he didn’t. They’ll continue employe the media to exploit the public’s ignorance and intellectual laziness using whatever weapons they see fit…including ones you think Boehner took away from them.
It was probably necessary that the negotiation was attempted and failed in the long run.
crosspatch on January 26, 2013 at 3:45 PM
I’m not sure how. Seems to me they got everything they wanted and the political hand wringing only created the illusion that they sacrificed at all. They’ll come back even bolder and greedier knowing that they can continue to plow forward gradually.
fitzfong on January 26, 2013 at 4:09 PM
Wonder if boehner will be ‘ful of regrets’ when bho gets his evil face at the sotu address and he pops up and down clapping for the worm everytime bho opens his lying/blame the r’s for everyting mouth?
L
letget on January 26, 2013 at 4:14 PM
Well said.
elfman on January 26, 2013 at 4:18 PM
^ goodness should have checked spelling before sending that post, sorry.
L
letget on January 26, 2013 at 4:18 PM
It’s okay. It’s not as if he has any experience with this kind of thing, just giving Obama 98% of what he wanted in two previous budgets and the last debt cealing,… oh, wait…
elfman on January 26, 2013 at 4:24 PM
20+ years in Congress and he still doesn’t know how DC works. Ohio needs to boot that jackass.
ButterflyDragon on January 26, 2013 at 4:28 PM
What does he care, he was just handed the Speakership for 2 more years.
ButterflyDragon on January 26, 2013 at 4:29 PM
Um, these were all things you knew well in advance, there was no hindsight needed to get a 20/20 view moron. You threw the debate on purpose because you want a bigger government, just admit that your views, like Romney’s are progressive.
astonerii on January 26, 2013 at 4:50 PM
As I was reading the comments I got a call from the
RNC !
I told the young man no. I mentioned this piece on
Hot Air . I mentioned the purge of conceratives in the
house . I mentioned McConnell messing with senate
rules . I mentioned McLame supporting Kerry etc , etc ,
etc . . Lastely I mentioned that my taxes will go up so
much in the next year that I couldn’t possibly contribute
and I would not do so in the near future .
He said ” I understand ” . I suggested he take notes on
all calls .
I was very nice . Now I need a very stiff drink .
The nerve of these jerks .
Lucano on January 26, 2013 at 4:50 PM
and we are full of regret that you are the speaker
conservative tarheel on January 26, 2013 at 4:52 PM
Look, sir, you couldn’t lead your own caucus, you couldn’t communicate to the base, now you are full of regrets.
With all due respect to your Speaker position, your point is ???? WTHeck?
It is not as if you are a newbie being outmaneuvered.
Sir Napsalot on January 26, 2013 at 4:59 PM
The problem was not that he negotiated with Obama, one-on-one or no. The problem is he got rolled by Obama.
And Boehner got rolled because he’s neither a good leader nor a good negotiator. He displays no evidence of having any command of theories on tactics or strategies to achieve his goals.
In sum, he doesn’t possess the characteristics required of his position.
Dusty on January 26, 2013 at 5:04 PM
Dusty ,
Hear , Hear !
Lucano on January 26, 2013 at 5:18 PM
Not as regretful as I am, you jerk.
Jackalope on January 26, 2013 at 5:53 PM